Gainesville City School Board District 2 candidate Amy Kerr shared her vision ahead of the Nov. 4 special election for the seat.
The role was left vacant by Kris Nordholz, who resigned in June because he moved out of the district.
A graduate of Gainesville High School and former teacher for the school system, Kerr shared her main reason for pursuing the role.
“I thought it was just the perfect opportunity for me to serve the students and the schools,” she said. “ I feel like I have great experience on both sides of education, being a parent and being a teacher in this system.”
Kerr said if she were to be elected to the seat, she plans to prioritize teacher retention and ensuring teachers can provide input to the board.
“I would love, as a board member, to have regular Town Hall–type meetings with teachers at different schools to just see what their concerns are or what their suggestions are so that they feel like their voices are heard,” Kerr said. “…When you do that, it builds trust. They feel valued. And that just trickles down to students.”
For students, Kerr explained she wants to continue to prepare students for the workforce and expand the system’s Work Based Learning program.
“[Work Based Learning] is a huge thing at the high school, and it’s been extremely successful,” Kerr said. “It benefits our students to prepare them for careers. It invests in our students, and it helps businesses in this community. So I think that’s a huge thing that we can continue to grow.”
Kerr is running against Trey McPhaul for the seat. McPhaul previously told AccessWDUN he also plans to prioritize teacher retention and “high-quality learning opportunities for students.” Both Kerr and McPhaul are parents of students attending schools in GCSS.
“ I have no other political aspirations beyond the school board position, because I’m really here for the students and the teachers and this community,” Kerr said. “…I have worked in the private sector of schools and the public schools, and it’s just something I’ve been passionate about my whole adult life. So this is just something that’s important to me, and I think that I’m just really the most qualified to serve the school system and this community.”
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